Boldre Parish Council - April 2024
Signs of spring are here and the flowers in the recreation ground are in bloom. New wildflowers will shortly be planted within the mounds of the play area. We look forward to a display of colour providing wildlife habitats this summer.
Spring Open Evening
Come and join us on Monday 22nd April for our spring open evening where we welcome Catherine Chatters from the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust. All welcome, Refreshments available. We look forward to seeing you there.
Boldre Parish’s Community Grants
Each year Boldre Parish council has a small budget for providing grants to the community for community projects. This year there will be two application windows, one in April and the second in September. There is a form to complete. Please contact the clerk for more information. The deadline for submission for the first round is the 30th April 2024.
Digital Telephone Charter
Did you know that by the end of December 2025 most analogue copper telephone wires will be replaced with a digital system?
What could this mean to you?
In an event of power failure digital phone systems will not work and you will be reliant on a mobile phone for communication.
What if I do not have mobile phone signal?
All phone service providers are expected to give residents that are dependent on their landlines or have no mobile phone signal a battery and phone with an antenna. They have 6 months’ notice to do this and they must provide equipment that has a life of up to 3 years and be able to continually replace the equipment once battery runs out.
Please contact your telephone service provider directly if this is something that will affect you.
The commitment is called The Public Switched Telephone Network Charter
Information can also be found online at – www.gov.uk – Public Switched Telephone Network Charter
Recreation Ground Project
It is with great pleasure we announce that a grant from NFDC has been approved to further develop the older children’s Play Area. Watch this space in the coming months to see how this is taking form.
Thoughts are being given to how the recreation ground as a whole could have alternative recreation uses. Do you have a group that could use the pavilion for an outside exercise class or use it as a base for some outdoor training? Contact the Clerk with your proposals.
A reminder that the Recreation Ground and Children’s Play Area are Dog Free Zones.
Parish Highways
A frustrating month for the group, we have continued to receive complaints about the state of the roads and paths across the locality. In reaction:
- We have written again to Cllrs Dunning and Adams-King detailing some of the damage to Boldre Lane and Pilley Hill and urging HCC to schedule both roads for significant resurfacing work (March and April) – awaiting a response
- Contacted NFDC (Cllr Poole) regarding the flooding on Pilley Street, reminding about the investigation and report promised
- Path at Trowbridge Cottages has improved – only because the grass is growing again. We have yet to achieve the positive action needed to avoid the problem (a slippery and dangerous surface) re-emerging.
- Countryside Services (HCC) responded positively to our flagging up (yet again) the problem on Footpath 33 of the collapsed handrail; but the repair was not done.
We have received a number of representations about recent verge cutting around the locality. This would appear to be in conflict with HCC policy to defer verge cutting until the end of May. We have sought an explanation from NFDC (Cllr Poole) – awaiting a response.
Please continue to report Road issues to the Highways Authority – Hampshire County Council – search:
Hampshire County Council Report a Problem and select Road Problem
Parish Emergency Incident Plan
The council recently attended a workshop to aid us in forming the plan.
The key areas we need to complete are
- Key people to act as an ‘Emergency contact list’, ideally one from each Boldre, Pilley, Norley Wood and Portmore areas
- Knowledge of available local skills and resources – e.g. Trained first aider, 4x4/tractor driver, chainsaw owner, mechanic, water and food supplies
- Forming a local networks where the community are looking out for and keeping check on the most vulnerable
If you can help with any of these, please get in touch.
The council will next meet on Monday 13th May at 18.30. Members of the public are welcome to attend the meeting.
